1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a boxing glove and more particularly to a boxing glove designed in such a manner so that the impact, when the front of the glove strikes a target, for example an opponent, is not that severe or is drastically reduced. The invention extends to the boxing glove having a target marking means which enables a boxer to identify where he has struck the target.
2. Description of Related art
Boxers, especially beginners and other persons taking up boxing for recreation, use conventional type boxing gloves also used by more experienced boxers. A shortcoming of these conventional boxing gloves is that the impact, when the front of the boxing glove strikes the target, for example the opponent, particularly, his head, is quite severe. It will thus be appreciated that such an impact can be quite painful and, of course, also cause rather painful injuries, for example, to the head and body of the opponent being struck and/or to the hand of the boxer delivering the blow. Due to this shortcoming the applicant has experienced that some beginners and some of the recreational boxers have lost interest in taking up and continuing boxing. Beginners who may be potential champion boxers thus turn themselves away from further boxing, at least at a competitive level. It will further be understood that more experienced boxers may also benefit from using the boxing glove of the present invention.
Further, the applicant has found that a need exists for a boxing glove comprising a target marking means which enables a boxer to identify where he has struck his opponent. In this way the boxer, especially the boxer in training, can direct his blows to a specific area on the body of the opponent and afterwards study his success rate in striking that area.
The applicant is aware of a prior art target marking means or indicator as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,582 in the name of Treco Products, Inc.. During use, the indicator is transferred from a participant's glove to an opponent at the point of contact. The indicator thus does not form an integral part of the glove which means that there is a possibility that the indicator can get lost. A further shortcoming of that invention arises when successive hits are to be marked on the opponent. Said patent teaches that this could be accomplished by stacking several indicators one on top of another on the participant's equipment the indicators to be sequentially transferred. The patent, however, does not describe in detail how this will be successfully accomplished. The applicant foresees the possibility of more than one indicator at a time being transferred.